"You work together, you work hard, you respect our school and you respect each other, and you manage yourselves with pride and dignity in so many different ways.
"I can't think of a better way to finish my time at Paraparaumu College than seeing the pride of the haka competition [before the haka to him].
"Thank you for making my life richer, thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives, and I wish you all the best."
He said the college's new principal, Craig Steed, who he had known for a long time, was "someone you're going to love and someone you are going to enjoy".
"And he won't do things just as I've done them, he will do things in his own way, but I ask you to look after him as family, and to give him the sort of welcome you have given me."
Fountain acknowledged the college's staff.
"You are an amazing group of people who are so committed to the vision of this school."
And while there was a lot he was proud of at the college "most of all I'm proud of this being an inclusive school, a school where our students on the edges can be brought in, a school where people who need support can get the support they need so they can continue to learn and change this planet for the better."
